Are you stalled? Are you even shooting for an "ideal" weight? As an administrator on the Trim Healthy Mama facebook forum, I often see questions regarding weight-loss stalls (and perceived stalls.) The following will help you decipher IF you are experiencing a stall, and if so, help trouble-shoot the cause... First, it is vitally important to be sure we are going for a truly healthy weight goal. Often we ladies (and, YES, men as well!) think we need to lose more than we actually should - so the body puts up a terrible fight, desperate to hold on to those last "stubborn" pounds... not because it is just being difficult, but because we actually NEED those pounds to be held as a "reserve", in case we become seriously ill or stressed. Other times, the body just needs to take a break from the weight-loss, as processing fats (and the years' worth of stored toxins released as we lose weight) can be quite hard on the organs. A little time (a month, two months, or even a bit longer) can make all the difference. Now, if we are certain those last pounds are not just "vanity" pounds, and we are reasonably sure our system has not been overloaded by quick or extreme weight-loss, and then we can look more closely at the situation. Ask yourself these questions: Am I eating enough? Am I focusing on whole foods, or eating a lot of "convenience" foods? Am I eating enough protein? Am I eating enough E meals/snacks? Am I eating too many heavy S meals? Am I eating a lot of dairy? Am I eating a lot of nuts? Am I eating a lot of store-bought "bread" products? Am I spacing my meals/snacks 3 hours apart? (Even FP) Am I exercising at all? Am I exercising TOO MUCH?? Am I fueling properly when I do exercise? While each person is different, any/all of these listed can cause a stall for certain individuals. When facing a true stall, it can be beneficial to re-read the first chapters of the book ("Trim Healthy Mama"), covering S, E, & FP... If nothing jumps out at you as a potential problem, then the Fuel Cycle chapter is wonderful for trouble-shooting, as are the chapters covering exercise and hormones. CALCULATING “IDEAL” WEIGHT Our "ideal" weight should be based on several factors... and comparing from one person to the next, even for those of the same height, is never an accurate measure. Frame-size and natural muscle mass should both be taken into account, as some have petite skeletal frames, some medium, others larger... and the amount of muscle carried on each frame will vary significantly. There are online programs which help a person determine ideal weight by measuring wrist and neck sizes, calculating muscle mass versus fat, etc. Some of these must be reevaluated if a person starts off quite overweight, as the measurements will not be completely accurate. One of my favorite write ups on determining ideal weight can be found here: http://seethebluesky.blogspot.com/p/how-to-find-your-goal-weight.html AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT *If your friends, family, acquaintances and such tell you that you should not lose more weight, it is really a good idea to have your doctor give you an unbiased evaluation before continuing to try and lose. Hope this helps! Jaque Oh yeah, Baby... LIFE. IS. GOOD! A delicious crumble... S for Trim Healthy Mama! Rhubarb is an old-time favorite of mine! So many younger mamas have never even cooked with rhubarb, I worry this will fall by the wayside! Enter "RunAmok Mama's Rhu-Berry Crumble"! A THM-friendly dessert, packed with the traditional old-fashioned "tart-sweet" flavor, but without the unhealthy sugar-spike! A timeless favorite, with a healthy twist! SERIOUSLY GOOD! SERIOUSLY. A fantastic, filling S meal for Trim Healthy Mama! Get yer ladle. Get yer bowl. Get ready for seconds. This pot of deliciousness is frequently requested by family and at fellowship potlucks! For those following Trim Healthy Mama, it is an "S"; low-carb, higher protein and fat. This is much lighter fare than the tasty, heavy "S" (low-carb, higher in protein, high in fat) I shared before: "RunAmok Mama's Chuckwagon Charm"! Turmeric adds a healthy golden glow; topped with a dollop of sour cream and fresh sprigs of cilantro, this is a beautiful soup, with oodles of protein and loads of flavor! This is a soup you can proudly serve to company and take to potluck dinners! Not a super-quick soup, this is a bit quicker to make than Chuckwagon Charm, and gets away from the commonly-used cauliflower or broccoli found in many low-carb soups. TASTY. EASY. FUN. AND... They fit into the Trim Healthy Mama plan too! Really? A "healthy" chocolate chip cookie? Who knew there was such a thing! This twist on an old, unhealthy favorite will leave you smiling... and "on-plan" for Trim Healthy Mama! This batch did not last long... and in editing photos, both my daughters tried to convince me to make more... so we could have "better" photos. Seems a tad suspicious, as I think the pictures turned out just fine! Well, on second thought... Maybe I could make more, and use that pretty plate my father brought on his last visit. ;) This is one of the BEST soups I have ever made! (S for Trim Healthy Mama) If you haven't clued in by now... Our family likes to eat! One meal I have always had a knack for is soup. Yep. Not so glamorous... but comfy and cozy -- like that favorite pair of fuzzy slippers! Winter and springtime, I make soup at least once per week, often more frequently... so, for me to say this is "ONE OF MY BEST SOUP RECIPES, EVER!!" is a pretty big deal. This received multiple, "Licked the bowl clean" ratings. Make sure to use a "smoky" bacon, as it adds, tremendously, to the "charm". This is not a particularly "quick" soup, but is well worth the effort! Left-overs would be wonderful... I think... but this hasn't made it until the next day, so I could be wrong. Want a little something special? 20 years ago, I was a "Shake 'N Bake" groupie! I loved quick, seasoned meals - ones which seemed like I spent a lot of time in the kitchen... ones which made it seem I knew how to cook! As I became more aware of the unnatural ingredients used to create these convenience "food" items, I set out to "healthify" some of our family favorites. "RunAmok Mama's Zesty Parmesan Shake 'N Bacon" is an extremely versatile recipe -- used to coat pork chops, spareribs, chicken thighs & drums, chicken breasts, sausage and hamburger patties, zucchini, yellow squash and more! YUM!! For ease of cooking, you can make a big batch and store in the fridge for several meals over the week! For use with RunAmok Mama's Sweet N Blazin' Wings & Sweet-Spiced Brussels The following recipe is NOT the Trim Healthy Mama brown-sugar substitute which has been approved for use in the online THM recipes! That recipe can be found at GWEN'S NEST. This recipe is a bit different, and as I intend for a little to go a long way in the recipes, the carb count from the molasses will come out about the same... While it figures out in the recipes I have listed here, it should NOT be used as a substitute for the THM version, as the portions are different and you could inadvertently go over on carbohydrates in other recipes. RunAmok Mama's BEST, EVER. ZUCCHINI LASAGNA! (This is a "S" meal, for Trim Healthy Mama, and can be easily doubled.) Filled with gooey cheese, tasty meat sauce, and healthy zucchini, this satisfying Lasagna is a family favorite!
With this healthy spin, I doubt your family will be missing the noodles at all! In fact, if your family is anything like mine, they will be clamoring for you to make this again... SOON! FIRST... WHAT IS XYLITOL? The well-known health-dangers posed by sugar have many families seeking alternative sweeteners. One of the most popular alternate sweeteners on the market is known as Xylitol. Xylitol is a naturally-occurring “sugar alcohol” found in corn, some hardwoods, fruit, mushrooms, lettuce and more. Processed, it is a white, crystalline form, similar in look and taste to regular, granulated sugar. Unlike regular sugar, however, which is clearly detrimental to the health of humans, research shows Xylitol to have some promising health benefits: Are you a THM with a pizza craving? ME TOO! If you are craving a full-blown pizza, with traditional crust, this may not fit the bill… However, if you are craving all the gooey, cheesy goodness and the delicious toppings found on a traditional pizza… and, IF you are brave, bold, adventurous… this delicious, low-carb “S” dinner may be right up your alley!
For the adventurous THM with timid family members, I will include an easy, non-THM crust recipe pizza, which can be made along-side this yummy dish. The crust will work wonderfully for children and/or husbands not following the plan. You can thank me later... |
RUNAMOK MAMAPrecision-run households may find my title, "RunAmok Mama" to feel a tad alarming, so I'd like to offer a quick assurance that my life is more an exercise of controlled chaos than sheer pandemonium! Archives
June 2018
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